Perception of the Experience of Domestic Violence by Women With
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Perception of the Experience of Domestic Violence By Women with a Physical Disability by Jennifer Margery Mays BSocSci (Human Services) A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Research) Centre for Social Change Research School of Humanities and Human Services Queensland University of Technology February 2003 Declaration I, Jennifer Mays, declare that the work contained in this thesis is to the best of my knowledge and belief, original, except as acknowledged in the text and that the material has not been submitted, either in whole or part, for a degree at this or any other university. Signed: __________________________ Date: __________________________ i Abstract The disability movement drew attention to the struggle against the oppression of people of disability. The rise of disability activism contributed to increased awareness of the need for a social theory of disability, in order to account for the historical, social and economic basis of oppression. Emerging studies of disability issues by disability theorists, such as Sobsey (1994), highlighted the higher prevalence and nature of violence against people with a disability, in comparison to the general population. However, the limited research concerning women with a physical impairment experiencing domestic violence contributes to this social problem being underestimated in the community. Contemporary theoretical conceptualisations of both domestic violence and disability fail to explain the causal framework that leads to women who have a disability experiencing violent situations. Similarly, by explaining domestic violence as a solely socially constructed gender inequality and power differential, feminism provides insufficient recognition of the structural dimension of disability. As a preliminary inquiry, this study draws on the premises of historical materialism, and feminism to explain disability and investigates disabilism as a means to examine the experience of domestic violence by women with a physical impairment. The research design incorporated the use of qualitative methods for data collection and encapsulated critical social science and interpretivist epistemology. This study provided the basis for generating an understanding of the nature of domestic violence against women with a physical impairment within this sample group. From this investigation, causal hypotheses can be advanced for subsequent extended research. This study revealed that disabilism together with the interacting structural dimensions of disability, gender and class operated to marginalise and alienate these women with a physical impairment in a violent relationship. This tended to reinforce and entrench violence against women with a physical impairment. The study provides insight into the way social conditions and disabilism interrelate to maintain this group of women with an impairment in a violent relationship and contribute to the experience of poverty and lower social status upon leaving the relationship. ii Acknowledgements I am indebted to the many people who provided support and encouragement during the course of this study. I would like to thank you for your valued insight, suggestions and guidance. My Supervisor, Dr John Tomlinson, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Human Services, Queensland University of Technology, who patiently provided helpful suggestions, criticism and encouragement throughout the duration of this study. I have greatly appreciated his confidence in the value of this research project. To the participants who were involved in this research, I am honoured that you shared sensitive parts of your life with me. I have greatly valued and been touched by your humility, strength, honesty and trust during our interactions. For in solidarity we struggle against the mechanisms of repression. I am grateful to Dr Barrie O’Connor for his unfailing support, enthusiasm and commitment to this study. His valued contribution and assistance helped me to extend my ideas further. To Dr Bob Lonne, mentor and colleague, who never once faltered in his support for this project, I am grateful for your encouragement, humour and professional insight. I am indebted to the lecturers and staff at the School of Humanities and Human Services, for their unfailing support throughout the study. Although it is not possible to mention everyone who has contributed to this project, I would like to acknowledge Dr Judith Burton, Dr Marie Knox, Judith Oliver, Phil Crane, Waverney Croft, Lester Thompson and Ross Daniels for your feedback and encouragement. I am grateful to Allison McCallum for her generous time and assistance in working through the postgraduate system. iii Dr Catherine MacDonald, Dr Barbara Adkins and Professor Tricia Fox for their honest appraisal of my research and ongoing support, especially during the long hours of solitude when I started this project. I am grateful to Patricia Riding who transcribed the data from audiotape to computer disk and supported the very idea of the research project. I wish to acknowledge my partner Spencer, who understood when I needed solitude and space to finalise the project. I am forever indebted for your patience and commitment to the study. I also appreciate the encouragement from my parents Les and Kay Mays, the Watkins Clan and my grandparents Curt and Peg Fisher, who understood my long silences. I am forever appreciative of all my friends who were there on the sidelines, but persevered in their support. Finally, to my dear friend and colleague, Glenda; her death left a void in my life. In my darkest hours, I thought of our short journey together on the path of postgraduate research. I will always remember the belief she showed in me, even when my belief in myself seemed lost – I miss you greatly. iv CONTENTS Declaration i Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii Chapter 1 ORIENTATION AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 1 1.1 Hypothesis 1 1.2 Introduction and Justification of the Study 1 1.3 Disability, Disabilism and the Disability Movement 2 1.4 Disability and Violence 3 1.5 Contribution of This Study 6 1.6 Definition of Key Terms 6 1.7 Outline of the Study 7 1.8 A Guide to the Theoretical Approach Taken in this Thesis 9 Chapter 2 MARXISM AND HISTORICAL MATERIALISM: THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS 10 2.1 Introduction 10 2.2 Basic Principles of Historical Materialism 11 2.3 The Relevance of Historical Materialism to Capitalism and Disability 12 2.4 Conceptualising Disability from a Historical Materialist Perspective 12 2.5 Theory of Ideology and Hegemony 16 2.6 Hegemony and Disability 18 2.7 Summary: Integrating Historical Materialism, Feminism and Disability 18 Chapter 3 HISTORICAL MATERIALISM, FEMINISM AND DISABILITY 20 3.1 Introduction 20 3.2 Contributions of Feminist Scholarship 20 3.3 Feminist Theorising on Patriarchy 21 3.4 Problematics of Sex and Gender 22 3.5 The Historical Dimensions of Women’s Oppression 24 v 3.6 Theorising Gender, Disability and Materialism 26 3.7 Women, Disability and Difference Theory: Conceptual Considerations 28 3.8 The Limitations of Deconstructing Disability and Research Implications 30 3.9 Summary 32 Chapter 3 DISABILITY CATEGORIES AND CONCEPTUAL IMPLICATIONS 34 4.1 Introduction: Theorising Disability 34 4.2 Issues Central to Researching Disability 35 4.3 Traditional Theories of Disability 37 4.4 Historical Materialism and Relevance to Disability 43 4.5 Hegemonic Power of Eugenics Theory 47 4.6 Welfare Provision, Social Policy and Charity Based Models 49 4.7 Emergence of Disability Activism: The Counter Movement 52 4.8 Gender and Disability: Feminising Materialist Stances 55 4.9 Historical Materialism, Feminism and Disability: Forming the Links 59 4.10 Summary 60 Chapter 5 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 62 5.1 Introduction 62 5.2 Historically Situated Theoretical Paradigms of Domestic Violence 62 5.3 Psychology: Individual Psychological/Pathological Theories 64 5.3.1 Single determinant theories and structural stress theory 65 5.3.2 Social learning/intergenerational theory 65 5.4 Sociological Perspectives 66 5.5 Feminist Frameworks 67 5.6 Feminist Theorising on Domestic Violence 69 5.7 Domestic Violence: Forming Conceptual Linkages 70 5.8 Domestic Violence Policy Responses in Australia 73 5.9 Conceptualising Domestic Violence 74 5.10 Nature and Extent of Violence Against Women with an Impairment 76 vi 5.11 Summary 79 Chapter 6 METHODOLOGY 80 6.1 The Study in Context 80 6.2 Research Design: Rationale for Qualitative Methods 80 6.3 Elementary Hypothesis Generated from the Literature 82 6.4 Unit of Analysis 82 6.5 Some Preliminary Questions in Research Design 83 6.6 Justification for Multiple Comparison Group 85 6.7 Protocols for Entry into the Field 87 6.8 Data Collection Methods 88 6.9 Interview Schedule Design 89 6.10 Ethical Considerations During Interview Sessions 92 6.11 Recording Interviews 93 6.12 Grounded Theory and Qualitative Research 94 6.13 Resolving the Tension Between Grounded Theory and Historical Materialism 96 6.14 Data Analysis 98 6.15 Summary 99 Chapter 7 RESULTS 100 7.1 Introduction 100 7.2 Women with a Physical Impairment and Domestic Violence 102 7.2.1 Definition and perception 102 7.2.2 Dimensions of power and control 103 7.2.3 Factors central to the nature of domestic violence 104 7.2.4 Power, control and perceptions of disability: disabling effects 106 7.2.5 Perfectionism, normality measures and disabilism 107 7.2.6 Professional power 109 7.2.7 Socialised gender roles: the dutiful wife 112 7.2.8 Romanticised ideation of the family 113 7.2.9 Conformity pressures